(Closed) are you wearing your veil over your face or tucked under your hair?

I have an awesome veil that matches my dress. it has the 2 layers where I can wear it over my face if i choose. I’m still unsure, but I feel like I’d be a little bit less emotional if I did have it over my face walking down the aisle.

but then i’m a dummy when it comes to the symbolic symbol OF a veil – why do people wear a veil over their face? Who lifts the veil and when? I know I do not want to go the whole ceremony wearing it over my face, but does my dad lift it and give me a kiss when he gives me away before the ceremony?

@blondebride2012: Traditionally, you wear it over your face when your father walks you down the aisle…he lifts it to give you a kiss, and then your new husband pushes it back before the kiss at the end. Many ladies these days have begun to wear it over their face for the walk down the aisle, and then have their dad push it back so they can see for the ceremony.

I’m wearing mine down my back, and considered not wearing one at all. But my FI saw me in a “practice” one ($8 from Hobby Lobby) and loved the look, so I’m doing it for him.

The veil over your face has all kinds of creeptastic patriarchal symbolism that is traditionally attached to it, which is one reason I’m not doing that part of the tradition. (Please note: for other ladies wearing a veil over your face means nothing more than “yay, I’m a bride!” Your mileage may vary. No judgement from this quarter on veiling or not veiling.) For me, my own symbolism is that I want to go into marriage “with my eyes open” and with clear vision.

And on a very practical note, we’re getting married outside in June and I’m a little afraid that I’ll feel kinda claustro with it over my face. 😉

thank you for your reply! I am in no means a traditional bride – i just like the idea of my dad lifting it, kissing me and going from there. But that has only come recently when i went back to try on my dress. and the fact that i think of it as “hiding” behind something in case i bawl walking down the aisle haha

@blondebride2012: Awww! I think it is totally about whatever you feel comfortable with. If you like the idea of having a little private space for yourself, and that moment with you and your dad, go for it.

I can share a pic of how I’m wearing my blusher! Keep in mind I was just trying on all my stuff with my shoes so me veil is super wrinkled. I bascially just took it out of the bag and crammed it on my head hahaha.

*** Also disregard the look on my face. Mom caught me off guard with the camera.

I just want to share this….the veil is worn over the face in many cultures and some of the symbolism is VERY different from what many people assume. And thus the traditions about wearing it, who lifts it, are very different.

For example, in Jewish weddings, traditionally the groom puts the veil on the bride before the ceremony, and is the one to lift it off her face AFTER the legal parts of the ceremony wrap up. The reasons are not universally agreed upon but (as taken from Wikipedia) the big ones are: “Some say that as the groom places the veil over his bride, he makes an implicit promise to clothe and protect her. Finally, by covering her face, the groom recognizes that he his marrying the bride for her inner beauty; while looks will fade with time, his love will be everlasting. In some ultra-orthodox traditions the bride wears an opaque veil as she is escorted down the aisle to meet her groom. This shows her complete willingness to enter into the marriage and her absolute trust that she is marrying the right man. In Judaism, a wedding is not considered valid unless the bride willingly consents to it.” –I should point out here that even with all that, the veil is only a tradition, and not a religious requirement by any means.

I know in other cultures that it has completely different meaning, and that traditional American/Christian ceremonies have the father or groom lift the veil prior to the vows.

Really, just picture how you want to look and feel on the day, and go with that. There are no rules set in stone, it is really just a tradition.

I wore mine over my face while walking into the church. My dad lifted it over my head and pushed it back, and the whole service was performed with it back…but I liked letting my dad push it back initially. So you can do your own variation of it all too!

I’m wearing mine all on my back, from below my bun. My decision has nothing to do with aestetics or tradition/lack thereof – it’s simply that I tried it with my tiara, and it gets caught, so I don’t want to deal with that on the alter that day.